How amusing is this advert? Thanks go out to Jen for capturing it from the SNCF website for all to enjoy!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Say NO to the Toast Attitude
How amusing is this advert? Thanks go out to Jen for capturing it from the SNCF website for all to enjoy!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Another Transport Strike
I won't bore you. Yes, it happened again. This happens always. And this time I captured some on video. Listen for the chanting in the background. Two pedestrians were dodged to get this footage while a guy in a car watched me judgementally.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Bakers Insurance Company
This sign hangs in the window of a building caddy corner from our apartment. Six months after moving in, I realize that this is a mutual insurance company just for bakers!! It protects them from "The Civil Risks of the Bakeries." Only in France...
The Crystal Skull
We went to Lille today to watch the new Indiana Jones movie on opening day blasting across the big screen. It's great!!! I always forget how much fun it is to go to the movies.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The Ever-lasting Day of May
Rather than write the story, here is the time chronicle. Too sleepy for sentences.
2:30am Hear Sarah stir to go downstairs
3:30am Decide to stop trying to sleep
4:30am Finish Driving Miss Daisy and begin to re-read it
5am Rise and ShineEveryone up! shower & coffee
6am Jen, Sarah and I leave to drive to Brussels because a transport strike stands between her and the International Airport... and Houston...
7:40am Traffic because the strike forces everyone to drive
8:30am Arrive at Airport
9:30am Back in Valenciennes
10am Making tortillas for fiesta
11am Nap
12pm Lunch
12:54pm Tram to Bus to School
1:30pm-4:30pm Vivo Mexico!!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Pinata Update
Today in class, we painted the pinatas. They look wonderful hot-air balloons with missing baskets. This helps. The party's next Tuesday.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Pinata the tail on the donkey
What a day!
Today my teacher and I planned to begin construction on balloon pinatas for the fiesta next Tuesday. I thought we'd make 3 or 4 per class. He thought we should make 12 per class with the younger ones, and give everyone their own with the oldest. This would have been more manageable if he hadn't needed to leave for a meeting that lasted an hour, leaving me all alone in two classes!!! The room was in folie--complete madness.
Problems:
(1) I can't understand kids speaking french in a noisy classroom.
(2) When I can't understand kids speaking french in a noisy classroom, it gets more noisy because 3 kids try to translate while 3 other kids shush the room. (They say chuuuuuute)
(3) One little boy got glue in his eye and no one has briefed me on where to send kids with glue in one eye.
(4) The little girl watching the class and taking down names on the blackboard sat down halfway through and began to sob discouragedly because her task wasn't making a dent in the classroom noise level.
(5) 25 KIDS CANNOT MAKE PINATAS QUIETLY
(6) Liquid glue is too sticky and not-quite-sticky enough simultaneously.
(7) French students are taught to be careful with things, so they wouldn't just tear paper strips, they took out a ruler, measured and tore the paper along the edge. After glueing, they became upset if it looked ugly.
(8) On the other hand, there will always be the bad boys in every class. They popped the balloons on purpose. With their feet.
(9) The french word for glue (colle) can be mispronounced into two gross mot-- bad words. And it makes me nervous to say.
Oh la la. Bring me a Pimm's.
Today my teacher and I planned to begin construction on balloon pinatas for the fiesta next Tuesday. I thought we'd make 3 or 4 per class. He thought we should make 12 per class with the younger ones, and give everyone their own with the oldest. This would have been more manageable if he hadn't needed to leave for a meeting that lasted an hour, leaving me all alone in two classes!!! The room was in folie--complete madness.
Problems:
(1) I can't understand kids speaking french in a noisy classroom.
(2) When I can't understand kids speaking french in a noisy classroom, it gets more noisy because 3 kids try to translate while 3 other kids shush the room. (They say chuuuuuute)
(3) One little boy got glue in his eye and no one has briefed me on where to send kids with glue in one eye.
(4) The little girl watching the class and taking down names on the blackboard sat down halfway through and began to sob discouragedly because her task wasn't making a dent in the classroom noise level.
(5) 25 KIDS CANNOT MAKE PINATAS QUIETLY
(6) Liquid glue is too sticky and not-quite-sticky enough simultaneously.
(7) French students are taught to be careful with things, so they wouldn't just tear paper strips, they took out a ruler, measured and tore the paper along the edge. After glueing, they became upset if it looked ugly.
(8) On the other hand, there will always be the bad boys in every class. They popped the balloons on purpose. With their feet.
(9) The french word for glue (colle) can be mispronounced into two gross mot-- bad words. And it makes me nervous to say.
Oh la la. Bring me a Pimm's.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Disgusting Chip Flavors
Notes from the grocery store for the Culinarily Curious:
Pringles Flame-Grilled Steak & Caramelized Onion flavour
Sweet BBQ Sparerib
Red Paprika
Goat Cheese & Rosemary
Thyme & Bayleaf
Roast Chicken
Bolognaise (Beef Marinara Sauce)
Bacon
Ketchup
Marmite (British unexplainable thing to spread on toast, it must be smelled)
Why do they need to be flavored like meat? There's no way meat could be chopped up small enough to go on a chip. It reminds me of dry dog food...there's not really much meat in there either.
Pringles Flame-Grilled Steak & Caramelized Onion flavour
Sweet BBQ Sparerib
Red Paprika
Goat Cheese & Rosemary
Thyme & Bayleaf
Roast Chicken
Bolognaise (Beef Marinara Sauce)
Bacon
Ketchup
Marmite (British unexplainable thing to spread on toast, it must be smelled)
Why do they need to be flavored like meat? There's no way meat could be chopped up small enough to go on a chip. It reminds me of dry dog food...there's not really much meat in there either.
Intuition
To me, one of the biggest obstacles facing Americans living in France is intuition. Our American intuition. The system of logic that applies state side. None of this works here. Finally, after 7 months, I'm noticing that sentences that start with "Well, it seems like..." "Wouldn't you think..." "At home..." or "It'd make sense if..." are always ALWAYS wrong. Never assume. Just reverse every plan and preconception. Why did this take so long to deeply understand?
Now that I know, it's finally turning around. Last week, I really needed to mail a package. After getting home from work at 5:45, packing and wrapping it, the clock must have read nearly 7. My inner American thought, "No, post offices will be closed by the time I walk there with this heavy box." Maybe it was the still-sunny evening, but something else chimed "No, it may be open. They close at lunch for a few hours and stay open later." And with this scared-to-believe-in optimism, I power walked to La Poste. And wouldn't you know, it was still open!
On the other hand, I just found out that our water pipes empty directly outside our appartment. The kitchen sink goes onto the upper terrace. The shower goes onto the street. That doesn't make any sense.
Now that I know, it's finally turning around. Last week, I really needed to mail a package. After getting home from work at 5:45, packing and wrapping it, the clock must have read nearly 7. My inner American thought, "No, post offices will be closed by the time I walk there with this heavy box." Maybe it was the still-sunny evening, but something else chimed "No, it may be open. They close at lunch for a few hours and stay open later." And with this scared-to-believe-in optimism, I power walked to La Poste. And wouldn't you know, it was still open!
On the other hand, I just found out that our water pipes empty directly outside our appartment. The kitchen sink goes onto the upper terrace. The shower goes onto the street. That doesn't make any sense.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Celebrations everywhere
Long live May. It seems like holidays abound. May 8th was another European bank holiday because it commemorates Victory in Europe Day (end of WW2). Monday will be another day off because it's lundi Pentecote-- Pentecost Monday. Don't ask me why proud-to-be-secular France has this holiday. Most businesses faire le pont or make a bridge if holidays fall in the middle of the week by giving their employees off all the days until the weekend. Unfortunately, schools do not, so I worked today.
In addition to these Continental holidays, we're throwing a Cinco de Mayo fiesta at two of my schools with dancing, pinatas and chips & salsa. The kids really like to cha-cha. We're going to make paper sombreros next time and have a Mexican Hat Dance. This is why being a primary school teacher is great!
Unfortuntately, I'm missing some big celebrations at home. My brother's graduating from A&M today... And I wish I could be there. Congratulations, little bro.
In addition to these Continental holidays, we're throwing a Cinco de Mayo fiesta at two of my schools with dancing, pinatas and chips & salsa. The kids really like to cha-cha. We're going to make paper sombreros next time and have a Mexican Hat Dance. This is why being a primary school teacher is great!
Unfortuntately, I'm missing some big celebrations at home. My brother's graduating from A&M today... And I wish I could be there. Congratulations, little bro.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Chinese Arms
A few cultural tidbits I picked up today:
-The machine that rolls around and sucks up garbage off the sidewalk is called a "Glutton."
-One says Un, deux, trois bras de chinois before starting a Thumb War. That translates as one, two, three arms of chinese and even rhymes in English.
-The machine that rolls around and sucks up garbage off the sidewalk is called a "Glutton."
-One says Un, deux, trois bras de chinois before starting a Thumb War. That translates as one, two, three arms of chinese and even rhymes in English.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Honor the Texas Flag
A mysterious red car sits on the side of a street I pass going to tutor Hinata. Two stickers decorate its back window. One is the Scottish flag, the other is a Texas flag in the shape of Texas. It made me so happy to spot the flag the first time! I thought maybe some English speakers lived there. So, before vacation, I left a "I like your flag" note under the windshield wiper.
Well, yesterday, a woman was weedwhacking in the lawn outside the house next to the red Peugot. Seeing that I was early, I mustered up some courage and asked her about the car. Turns out it indeed belongs to her! Apparently Mary Elise and her husband travel to the US every year (and have for the last 10 years), and they visited Texas last summer. She said she really liked Austin and found all the Texans she met quite charming.
At some point her husband and father-in-law came outside to talk, too. The father-in-law was cute because he ended or began each sentence to me with Mademoiselle. According to books, this is a very old-fashioned mannerism. Feminists in France strongly object to Mademoiselle like the Miss/Mrs/Ms controversy at home. But I think it's sweet. Which is good because it's common here in the country.
Another mannerism I find charming--the die-hard penchant for 10 and 11 year old kids to avoid holding hands with members of the opposite gender AT ALL COSTS. Yesterday my class played a game called Fishs and Nets in the courtyard where we held hands in a circle. Instead, actually the girls grabbed the boys' jacket sleeves just next to their wrists.
Well, yesterday, a woman was weedwhacking in the lawn outside the house next to the red Peugot. Seeing that I was early, I mustered up some courage and asked her about the car. Turns out it indeed belongs to her! Apparently Mary Elise and her husband travel to the US every year (and have for the last 10 years), and they visited Texas last summer. She said she really liked Austin and found all the Texans she met quite charming.
At some point her husband and father-in-law came outside to talk, too. The father-in-law was cute because he ended or began each sentence to me with Mademoiselle. According to books, this is a very old-fashioned mannerism. Feminists in France strongly object to Mademoiselle like the Miss/Mrs/Ms controversy at home. But I think it's sweet. Which is good because it's common here in the country.
Another mannerism I find charming--the die-hard penchant for 10 and 11 year old kids to avoid holding hands with members of the opposite gender AT ALL COSTS. Yesterday my class played a game called Fishs and Nets in the courtyard where we held hands in a circle. Instead, actually the girls grabbed the boys' jacket sleeves just next to their wrists.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
May Day
Not Mayday. It's another bank holiday in France! So... nothing is open. I tried explaining that in the US, shops and restaurants are not just open on these sorts of days, but that they stage sales events and do excellent business on them. That didn't seem to make sense to the frenchies with whom I conversed. In France, a holiday is a holiday for one and all. An extreme notion of egalite to my mind. Only the lone American mavericks, MacDo and Subway, remain open. Besides that, can you guess the only thing happening? Strikers marching around on parade. Remember how I wrote before that going on strike is the national pastime of France? Well, this is the equivalent of attending a live holiday bowl game.
All these farewells begin to wear me (and my carte de credit) out. Monday night, we went to eat at a restaurant that specializes in Northern French Cuisine. I write the word cuisine using the very broadest sense of the term. They eat weird foods here. My theory: they began eating these things as a result of the wars... and just never quit. I'd heard they enjoy horse meat, endives, pig colon sausage, and meat jello (pot'jevelesh it sounds like someone questioning "supposeblish?").
At this restaurant, I learned a few new ones...
Salade de langue fumee or Salade of Smoked Tongue (no one knew what animal the tongue came from...)
Fricassee de joues de porc or Fricassee of Pig Cheeks... I couldn't bring myself to try either. It's too expensive to risk. A nice meal out here costs 15-25 euros.
Tuesday we had Moroccan food. It is delicious!! The restaurant had ornate carvings and draperies all over the walls. We tried the Moroccan "Gray" wine. I ordered a Tagine du poulet. It is like roasted chicken with vegetables, raisins, dates, and almonds cooked something that looks like an upside down clay funnel with a clay bottom. They take off the piping-hot funnel top as they serve it.
Since this post has become about food, wouldn't you like to read about the greatest thing since a grilled cheese sandwich? A lunch waffle. A place just began selling them on the city square. They put cheese, meat, etc on the batter before they close the waffle iron (a specially designed one of course) and hand it to you as cheese oozes out the front. Amazing.
All these farewells begin to wear me (and my carte de credit) out. Monday night, we went to eat at a restaurant that specializes in Northern French Cuisine. I write the word cuisine using the very broadest sense of the term. They eat weird foods here. My theory: they began eating these things as a result of the wars... and just never quit. I'd heard they enjoy horse meat, endives, pig colon sausage, and meat jello (pot'jevelesh it sounds like someone questioning "supposeblish?").
At this restaurant, I learned a few new ones...
Salade de langue fumee or Salade of Smoked Tongue (no one knew what animal the tongue came from...)
Fricassee de joues de porc or Fricassee of Pig Cheeks... I couldn't bring myself to try either. It's too expensive to risk. A nice meal out here costs 15-25 euros.
Tuesday we had Moroccan food. It is delicious!! The restaurant had ornate carvings and draperies all over the walls. We tried the Moroccan "Gray" wine. I ordered a Tagine du poulet. It is like roasted chicken with vegetables, raisins, dates, and almonds cooked something that looks like an upside down clay funnel with a clay bottom. They take off the piping-hot funnel top as they serve it.
Since this post has become about food, wouldn't you like to read about the greatest thing since a grilled cheese sandwich? A lunch waffle. A place just began selling them on the city square. They put cheese, meat, etc on the batter before they close the waffle iron (a specially designed one of course) and hand it to you as cheese oozes out the front. Amazing.
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